Appropriations hearing on H.542: committee hears plan to stop statewide PCB air‑testing in schools

Members of the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday heard H.542, a bill that would terminate Vermont’s mandated indoor‑air testing program for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in public and approved independent schools while directing remaining appropriated funds toward remediation at schools already tested and found above the state action level.

The bill responds to a program created in 2021 that required air sampling and set state‑specific action levels. Michael Grady of the Legislative Council described the program’s funding history: the Legislature appropriated about $32 million in earlier sessions (roughly $16 million of which funded Burlington’s school disposal work), and subsequent contingency transfers were used for statewide sampling and remediation. Grady said agencies report approximately $3.8 million remains and that those funds are largely earmarked to complete remediation at one high‑need school.

Under H.542, the Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) would stop conducting new indoor‑air PCB testing in public and approved independent schools. The bill would preserve state support for investigation and remediation at schools where ANR completed testing prior to the bill’s effective date and the school tested above Vermont’s school action levels. But if the state lacks sufficient funds to continue a particular interim remediation, the statute would not require local officials to proceed without full state funding. The bill also directs ANR, after consulting the Agency of Education, to submit a long‑term remediation plan by Jan. 15, 2027, and then annual status reports on testing counts, remedial measures, funds spent, remaining funds, and estimates of additional funds needed.

Committee members pressed agencies on the scope of testing completed to date and on how Vermont’s air action levels compare with federal thresholds. Grady said agencies identified a qualifying pool of 328 schools built before 1980, completed inventories on 183 and air sampling on 157, and reported 46 schools above the state school action level; roughly 171 schools still need sampling. He cautioned that Vermont’s air action levels — adopted under state public‑health determinations — do not convert directly to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 50 parts‑per‑million threshold for PCB building materials.

On practical effect, Grady said, “There will be no new air sampling of school” under the bill; local districts could elect to test privately but would be responsible for those costs. Joint Fiscal Office staff noted H.542 contains no FY‑27 appropriation for new testing and therefore, as written, carries no direct FY‑27 fiscal impact; if the committee or Legislature later adds an appropriation, JFO would produce a fiscal note.

The committee did not take a vote on H.542 at the hearing and deferred action pending follow‑up questions and possible additional information from ANR and the Agency of Education.

What’s next: ANR must deliver a long‑term remediation plan to the committee by Jan. 15, 2027; Appropriations may consider funding requests as part of the FY‑27 budget process.